"See you in the next fight" - Rodtang reflects on struggles, hints at potential rematch against Denis Puric
Rodtang Jitmuangnon might have just found another rival. The Thai megastar made his highly anticipated return to action at ONE 167 when he faced Denis Puric in an absolute barnburner in Bangkok this past weekend.
Rodtang was out for nearly five months after suffering an injury to his left hand in training, and Puric spent this time climbing up the rankings and calling Rodtang out every chance he got. The two finally collided in a catchweight kickboxing bout that promptly blew the roof off Impact Arena.
Rodtang ultimately had a stellar comeback when he took a unanimous decision win over Puric, but their first meeting could be a precursor to a proper rivalry. In an Instagram post, Rodtang apologized to Puric for missing weight but hinted at a potential rematch between them in the near future.
Rodtang posted:
"First of all I want to apologize to my opponent for not being able to make weight and I have to admit he is a very good fighter, and that's another story. Before I fought, I encountered a serious problem in my life. I was very discouraged. I asked myself if I should go fight, but I thought of everyone who loves me, so I endured to fight today while resting from my injury.
He added:
"Thank you to everyone who loves and supports me. See you in the next fight. @bosnian_menace."
The fight was originally set at the flyweight limit, but Rodtang weighed in at 141.25 lbs for the fight.
Nevertheless, he and Puric delivered a proper scrap that had the Bangkok crowd singing and shouting for every flurry and combination the two fighters threw.
Rodtang would capture the unanimous decision win in true 'The Iron Man' fashion.
Rodtang wants to reach god-tier status in ONE Championship
Rodtang Jitmuangnon is already one of the best pound-for-pound strikers of his generation, but he's not content with just generational success. Before he faced Denis Puric at ONE 167, the Thai megastar told ONE Championship that he wanted to be recognized as one of the greatest fighters of all time.
He said:
"I'm here to be a legend at ONE Championship. It's time to remind everyone what 'The Iron Man' is all about."